National Film Unit

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31381, 29 May 1967, Page 12

National Film Unit

Sir,—l have just seen a National Film Unit “Pictorial Parade” on the Mount Cook National Park. While the commentary announced that in no other New Zealand park is there such magnificent mountain scenery as in the Mount Cook Park, the film shows the. scenery of Westland National Park. One of the most impressive sequences is a party of climbers with the icefall of the Franz Josef Glacier in the background. The same form of misrepresentation was used in a feature film produced a few years ago by the Film Unit on the Mount Cook Park. Some of the most important sequences depicted the head of the Fox Glacier and aerial views of Mount Bismarck, in the Westland Park. Tuis publicising of the Mount Cook Park by the use of films of the Westland National Park is a form of cheating. By all means film the magnificent mountain scenery of the Westland National Park, but at least be honest about it.—Yours, etc., CREDIT WHERE DUE. May 19.1967.

[Mr G. Scott, manager of the National Film Unit, replies: “The Pictorial Parade” item on the Mount Cook National Park was produced for the purpose of showing, the scenery of the area and to attract visitors from other parts iff New Zealand and overseas to enjoy the attractions of the area. We feel it is logical enough to include one or two scenes which can be enjoyed by visitors to the park even though they may be two miles outside the arbitrary and official boundary line. The item was for tourist purposes and not for geographic purposes, and if we had described the boundaries or defined the limits of the park we think your correspondent could have cause for comment, but not, we think, if he realises the intent and purpose for which the film was made. The provision to which the correspondent refers was in fact produced before the boundary was defined in 1960.”]